How do you use padre to mean cool?
Use padre after ¡Qué…! as a reaction (¡Qué padre!), after está or va a estar about a thing or an event (Va a estar padre, "It's going to be great"), or before a noun (¡Qué padre plan!, "What a great plan!"). It stays padre for feminine words (una fiesta padre) and adds an s for plurals.
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¡Qué padre!Unit 6
How cool! (Mexico; padre also means "father")
Taught in Unit 6. In Colombia or Venezuela you'd say ¡Qué chévere!, in Spain ¡Qué guay!
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¡Sí, qué padre!Speak
Yes, how cool!
Your model answer when Ana invites you to a posada (a December party).
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¡Qué padre plan!Speak
What a great plan!
Ana, when you suggest a plan.
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¡Sale! Va a estar padre.Speak
Great! It's going to be cool.
Ana again: "It's going to be cool."
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¡Órale! Va a estar padre.Speak
All right! It's going to be great.
Diego, your coworker, about the office party.
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¡Felicidades! ¡Qué padre!Speak
Congratulations! That's awesome!
Ana, when you tell her your good news.
What does padrísimo mean?
Padrísimo means "awesome" or "really cool": padre plus -ísimo ("very"). Unlike padre, it agrees like any adjective: La película estuvo padrísima ("The movie was awesome").
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padrísimoUnit 28
awesome (very Mexican)
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La película estuvo padrísima.
The movie was awesome.
Can you say ¡qué padre! to anyone?
Yes. ¡Qué padre! is informal but polite, and Mexicans of every age say it, including at work. It's one of the safest slang words for a visitor to use.
| Who you're talking to | Can you say it? |
|---|---|
| Friends, family | Yes |
| Coworkers, your boss | Yes |
| Older people, people serving you | Yes |
| A formal email | Better ¡Qué buena noticia! ("What good news!") |
Is madre slang too?
Yes, and that's the one to leave alone: many Mexican phrases built on madre ("mother") are rude or vulgar. Padre is the positive, safe one.
How can you practice Mexican Spanish out loud?
Practice it in short, real exchanges, out loud. CiaoSpeak's Spanish course is set in Mexico City: the lessons teach everyday words like ¡Qué padre! with a recording and a note on when to use them, and in the Speak tab a taco vendor, a taxi driver or your language-exchange partner Ana asks you one question at a time. You answer by voice (or typing), and the app tells you whether a person would understand you. Lessons are free; in the Speak tab, today's questions (up to five a day) are free too, and CiaoSpeak+ adds practice in any scene whenever you like. More words like this one: the Mexican slang list.
Frequently asked questions
What does padrísimo mean?
Padrísimo means really cool or awesome: padre plus -ísimo, "very". It agrees like any adjective: La película estuvo padrísima (The movie was awesome).
Is qué padre used in Spain?
No. In Spain, people say ¡qué guay! for "how cool!", and in Colombia or Venezuela ¡qué chévere!. ¡Qué padre! is Mexican.
Does qué padre mean what a father?
Only literally. As a reaction, ¡Qué padre! means "how cool!". To talk about an actual father you'd use a full sentence, like Es un padre muy bueno (He's a very good father).